Daniels, Capts. Louis and Philomene, House
50 Macdonough Dr., Vergennes, VTThe Captains Philomene and Louis Daniels House are eligible for the National Register of Historic Places for their association with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history. From 1880 to 1916 the Daniels Boat Line operated a successful family business from the city dock on Otter Creek. Four steamboats captained by Louis, Philomene, their two sons, Fred and Mitchell, and daughter-in-law, Helen Lavigne Daniels transported passengers and freight down the seven-mile length of Otter Creek to Lake Champlain connecting with ports in Vermont and New York. Daniels House, built around 1868, is significant as the home of Philomene Daniels who is important as the world's first licensed female steamboat pilot. Philomene Ostiguy dit Domingue Daniels was, according to one historian, "the most colorful and picturesque figure in the history of steamboating on the Otter Creek”. Although the Daniels House is modest and vernacular in style and form, the property is significant on the local, state, and national levels for its historic associations with maritime history, transportation, and entertainment/recreation.
Local significance of the building:Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 2001.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.